Cosmetic case



Jan. 23, 1945. R. F. BERLS 2,367,992

COSMETIC CASE Filed Dec. 17, 1943 f 1.0 I 30 I 40 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. m

A TTORNEYS patented a. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COSMETIC CASE Rudolph F. Bel-ll, New York, N. Y.

Application December 17, 1943, Serial No. 514,615

a Claims. (CI. 35-59) This invention relates to containers for cosmetics. more particularly to cases for lip-coloring cosmetics.

Women, in purchasing lip rouge or contemplating its use. are desirous of first inspecting the color of the cosmetic and of visualizing the effect of its application to the lips. For hygienic reasons it is impossible to permit actual use of lip cosmetics prior to purchase. It is, however, of paramount importance to the purchaser to select precisely that shade and color which will give that satisfaction which depends upon matching the color to the complexion, the personality, the costume, the mood ofthe moment and which, giving due consideration to these and other factors, meets the arbitrary demands oi fashion.

The objects of this invention are to provide a case for lip rouge, lipsticks and the likewhich incorporates means providing a visual aid to purchase or inspection, which will possess features of novelty tending to assist and promote sales. and which will convey an impression of the appearance of the cosmetic as applied to the lips so that its suitability and fitness in accordance with the aforesaid controlling considerations may readily be determined. I

The invention will be best understood from detailed description of the present preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of a lipstick holder according to this invention, the area within the lip-form outline being hatched to represent the color red;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment, and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modification; partly in section, and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-8 theerof;

Figs. 7 and 8 are two elevations of a'case showing means for locking and limiting rotation of the cover, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of another form similar in operation to that of Figs. 7 and 8; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are a plan and sectional elevation, respectively, of a fiat cosmetic case for containing paste type lip rouge and embodying the invention.

Essentially the invention comprises a case for lip cosmetic having a cover or closure in-which is a window having the outline of lips through which the color of the cosmetic is visible. The

window may consist of an opening of lip-form outline or it may be a transparent area of that shape. The color viewed therethrough may be that of the cosmetic itself -or it may be a duplication thereof in other media.

With the cosmetic case of the invention, the

color of the cosmetic appears framed in a lipsembled lipstick holder having a cover III in which is an aperture II having the outline of lips. (The area within the outline is lined for the color red.) As shown in Fig. 3, the cover l0 may be secured to the lipstick holder by threads l2. The complete holder comprises a base I4 and a tubular portion I! which may be integral therewith and with the threaded portion, the tubular portion containing a slot IS. The lipstick I8 is mounted in a cup I! which slides up and down in the tubular portion l5 and may be manipulated by means of a lug 20 extending through the slot l8.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tubular portion I6 is transparent so that the color of thisI lipstick will be visible through the aperture In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the tubular portion l5 instead of being made of transparent material contains an aperture 2|. When the case is fully closed as by screwing the cover 10 down against the base it, the lipstick will not be visible through aperture I I, but by unscrewing the cover sufllciently to aline the apertures I I and 2|, the lipstick will then be visible through these apertures and the color thereof will show through the aperture ll having a lip-form outline. The apertures are so positioned as to effect complete closure of the case when the cover is fully screwed on to the holder, the apertures II and 2| for example being substantially displaced from one another, so that foreign matter cannot reach the lipstick.

In another embodiment of the invention, the tubular portion ii of the holder may be formed as shown in Fig. 2 without any aperture but having its outer surface of the same color as the lipstick. In this embodiment, it will be apparent that a duplication of the lipstick color will be. visible through the aperture ll.

Lipstick cases or the type shown in Figs. 1 through 4 are commonly made of plastic material and the holder may readily be molded from lastics having a range of colors corresponding to the colors of the lipstick: to be contained therein. As is well known, there are various plastics such as "Lucite" and Plexiglass" which are completely transparent and water-clear, so that the color of the lipstick may be seen without change.

As an alternative to forming the cover IQ of an opaque material and providing an opening ll therein, the cover may be made of a transparent material and masked with an opaque coating or' by etching or the like over all of its surface except an area of the shape of the aperture II, which would be left transparent, thus providing a window serving the same function as an aperture.

- Figs. '7, 8 and 9 illustrate two alternative forms of the invention appropriate where the case is to be made of metal. In Figs. 7 and 8. the holder has a base 30 and a tubular portion 3| of slightly smaller diameter in which is a cut-out portion 32 at least as large as aperture ll exposing the lipstick l8. In order to provide a lock for the cover 33 and also means for limiting the rotation thereof on the holder, there is provided in the base a right-angle groove 34 cooperating with an indentation 35 on the cover. The cover may be slid fully on to the base by inserting the indentation 35 in the mouth 36 of the groove 34, in which position the lip-form aperture II will be opposite the cut-out portion 32, thus exposing the lipstick to view. To close the case, the cover may be rotated from this position to that shown in Fig. 8, the length of the groove 34 preferably being such that rotation of the cover will be stopped when the aperture l l is diametrically opposite the opening 32.

The modification shown in Fig. 9 operates in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 7 and 8 except that the cover is not locked against removal. ameter of the holder 40 may be substantially the same as the inside diameter of the cover 4|. Rotation of the cover is limited by means of a lug 43 cooperating with the notch 44 in the bottom edge of the cover 4|, which is of such an extent and so positioned relative to the aperture I I that rotation of the cover will be stopped at one limit where the aperture is opposite the lipstick and at the other limit where the aperture is in such a position as to fully close the case.

As an alternative to making the tubular portion of the holder either transparent or entirely of the same color as the lipstick, it may be formed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The construction there shown is suitable for a case made of sheet metal, the cover 50 having a sliding fit over the tubular portion 5| of the holder which is provided with a recessed panel 52 which may be coated with the color of the lipstick as by enameling, lacquering, etc., the panel providing space for the film of coloring material and allowing sufllcient clearonce for the free operation of the cover on the holder without scratching or touching the color film. It will be understood, of course, that the cover 50 is provided with an aperture II or a transparent area having a lip-form outline as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 8.

Referring to Figs. 10- and 11, there is shown a flat compact-type container comprising a shallow box 50 containing a paste type cosmetic 8| With this construction, the outside di-.

assaaoa and having a cover 42 secured by ahinge 48. The cover is. provided with an aperture ll having a lip-form outline. In order to protect the contents of the case, a transparent disc 44 may be inserted in the cover and secured therein by friction. Alternatively, the disc 44 might be made of opaque material coated on the surface underlying the aperture II with a color corresponding to that of the cosmetic material, or the cover I! might be transparent and a mask having a lipficgzn'fperture placed in the position of the It is understood that the various embodiments shown are to be construed as illustrative and that since various details may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is to be construed broadly within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lipstick case comprising an elongated generally cylindrical holder and a cover adapted to enclose the greater part of the holder and rotatable thereabout, said cover having an aperture having the outline of lips and said holder having an aperture of a size at least as great as the aperture in the cover, whereby turning the cover relative to the holder to bring the said apertures into register will expose the lipstick to view through the lip-form outline.

2. A lipstick case comprising a holder and a cover enclosing the greater part of the holder and rotatable thereabout and secured to the holder by screw threads, said cover having an aperture having a lip-form outline and said holder having an aperture of a size sufllcient to include said outline, said apertures being so positioned as to eflect complete closure of said case when said cover is fully screwed onto said holder and so that alinement of said apertures will be effected by partial unscrewing of said cover.

3. A lipstick case comprising a holder and a cover enclosing the greater part of the holder and rotatable thereabout, said cover having an aperture having the outline of lips and said holder having an opening adapted to underlie said aperture exposing the lipstick to view therethrough in one position of the cover relative to the holder, and means for limiting the rotation of the cover when in position on the holder to a given range, one limit of said range bringing said aperture and said opening into alinement exposing the lipstick to view and the other limit of said range corresponding to complete closure of said case.

4. A lipstick case comprising a cylindrical tubular holder and a cylindrical cover having a sliding fit on said holder, said cover having an aperture having a lip-form outline and said holder having a depressed panel covering an area adapted to underlie said aperture and providing a space between said holder and said cover, said space containing a layer of coloring material corresponding to the color of said lipstick.

5. A lip-coloring cosmetic case comprising, a holder for the cosmetic, solid cosmetic disposed in said holder, a cover serving as a closure for said case and overlying substantially all of said cosmetic, said cover having a window of lip-form outline through which the cosmetic color is visible, the visible area of said cover surrounding said window being so limited in extent as not to conceal a substantial portion of the face when said case is positioned with said window in front of the lips facing away from the user, whereby on thus positioning the case the effect of the cosmetic in use may be visualized by use of a mirror.

6. A lip-Coloring cosmetic case comprising, a holder for the cosmetic, solid cosmetic disposed in said holder, a cover serving as a closure for said case and overlying substantially all of said cosmetic, said cover having a window of lip-form outline through which the cosmetic color is visible, said holder being transparent at least throughout an area adapted to underlie said window, the visible area of said cover surrounding said window being so limited in extent as not to conceal a substantial portion of the face when said case is positioned with said window in front of the lips facing away from the user, whereby on thus positioning the case the elTect of the cosmetic in use may be visualized by use of a mirror.

7. A lip-coloring cosmetic case comprising, a holder for the cosmetic, solid cosmetic disposed in said holder, a cover serving as a closure for said case and overlying substantially all of said 005- metic, said cover having a window of lipform outline through which the cosmetic color is visible, said holder being colored at least over an area adapted to underlie said window to correspond in color to the said cosmetic, the visible area of said cover surroundingsaid window being so limited in extent as not to conceal a substantial portion of the face when said case is positioned with said window in front of the lips facing away from the user, whereby on thus positioning the case the effect of the cosmetic in use may be visualized by use of the mirror.

8. A lipstick case comprising an elongated cylindrical holder and a cover adapted to enclose the greater part of the holder and rotatable thereabout, said cover having a window having the outline of lips, and said holder having a window of a size at least as great as the window in the cover, whereby turning the cover relative to the holder to bring the said windows into alinement will expose the lipstick to view through the lip-form outline.

RUDOLPH F. BERLS. 

